


(Gratuitous Maylor fluff fic)

by ClaraCivry (Kat_Of_Dresden)



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Bathtubs, Bubble Bath, Christmas Fluff, Cutesy, M/M, Making Out, Marriage Proposal, Meet-Cute, Miscommunication, Mistletoe, Mutual Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, True Love's Kiss, Wet Dream, hospital au, photo booths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2019-09-28 21:22:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17190566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Of_Dresden/pseuds/ClaraCivry
Summary: A place for my Maylor fluff1. Christmas themed Maylor fluff. Mistletoe, eggnog, cuddling in bed on a december night.2. Roger sees Brian having a bath and starts feeling... Different3. Some fans ask Roger and Brian to kiss for a pic. Feelings happen.4. The Bachelor AU5. Love at first sight (Battle of the bands meet cute AU)6.Hospital/Sleeping beauty AU7. You and me in the PHOTOBOOTH8. Sleepy fluff9. Valentine's day10. A (different) proposal11. A beach in Australia (secret relationship AU)12. Blind date13. Songwriting fluff





	1. Chapter 1

It was snowing outside, but it was warm in. Brian was wearing only underwear and an open shirt, but he had a nice hot mug of tea in his hand, and it was okay. The cold outside couldn't reach them, not while they were in that room, a safe haven from everything and everyone, a calm and peaceful moment amongst all the whirlwind. Of the Christmas, and the band tours, and everything. Brian was enjoying this moment of calm, of silence, of cold December morning. And he was enjoying the sight of the snow outside, but also the one inside. Because today, Brian wasn't alone. There was someone else in his bed.

Roger was sprawled on top of the sheets, drooling into the pillow, blonde hair everywhere. He was only wearing his boxers and had thrown the sheets every which way during the night, restless in his sleep as he was during his waking hours. He looked positive angelic, and Brian had been watching him and hearing his odd, light breathing for the last ten minutes. It made him feel... safe. At peace with himself and the world. The rest of people didn't exist, the cold, the Christmas carols, the band and the planets above them didn't exist. It was just him, this cold apartment, that warm mug of tea and Roger sleeping, his breathing soft and consistent – only audible if you paid attention, a lot of it.

Brian breathed contentedly. He really hadn't expected things to turn out like this when he had met the guys for drinks the previous night. It was one of these hardly-existent days between Christmas and new year's, when no one was really working but no one really had anything to do. After spending the holidays with their respective families, the four of them had met up for some drinks in a pub not from where Freddie was staying. It was crazy how much Brian had missed those guys in those short few days, and how glad he was to see them again.

Roger had already been tipsy when they met up, and that day he was an exceptionally frisky drunk, even more than usual. But it was part of what made him special, wasn't it? That life, that joy, that never stopping... flame inside of him. Where Brian had more of a tendency towards darkness, in Roger he could always find light. A smile, a raspy laugh, the motivation to party for longer and better. He liked how different they were, and he liked that even despite that, they still were very fucking close. He also liked Roger's ass in those tight pants he was wearing. But nobody needed to know that.

One thing led to the other and suddenly Brian had drunk too my glasses of somebody's home-made eggnog with a nice helping of... something very alcoholic, and they were singing drunken variants of Christmas songs and there were some hugs, and some merry christmas and some I love you and suddenly there was mistletoe on top of his curly-haired head and he locked eyes with Roger, who was very much in the vicinity... He'd wanted to taste his lips for many a months now, and this gave him the perfect excuse.

Roger just smirked and let himself be kissed. It was a great, long, hot kiss that smelled like alcohol and cigarettes and familiarity. Slightly inebriated by the presence and the heat from the other man, Roger took the mistletoe with force, put in his nest of blonde hair and took Brian by the chest. They made out in front of a gazillion witnesses, while an odd German version of Jingle Bells could be heard in the background. Things got... pretty heated.

If there was something that Brian and Roger shared despite their very different personalities, it was passion. Passion for excellence, for music, for life. And somehow that had translated into passion for each other. Brian had looked at the drummer with hungry eyes in a couple of occasions, but never imagined he would get to undress him, to be with him in that way. Roger had hooked up with some the most stunning people they had ever met, he simply didn't live up to the standards. Besides, they were friends, probably considered more similar to brothers than lovers.

But the thing was, Roger had been curious. He had seen the passion Brian had for his instrument, for the stars, and thought that it ought to make him a good lover. Someone gentle, but with great knowledge of... well, anything and everything that he put his head to. And he was so long, and that thing he did when he parted his lips slightly while he was playing guitar... he looked positively ravishing. But again, he didn't think much of it. Brian was a friend, something akin to a classmate, someone with who he discussed lyrics and beats. Nothing else.

But Christmas gave them the perfect excuse. It was an excuse to get obscenely drunk (Another one? Come on, it's Christmas!) and an excuse to get handsy with each other. Oh, dear, is that mistletoe? I'll have to kiss you senseless then. They knocked over the Christmas tree when they arrived, and there were still some pieces of clothing where the balls and little angels should be. It was an alternative decoration style. An alternative Christmas.

He finished his tea and went back to bed. Roger's startlingly blue eyes opened for a bit, and he pulled Brian closer, wordlessly. They were now tangled in a big embrace, a mess of long limbs and bedsheets. It was warm, warmer than the hottest night of summer. Roger smelled liked old eggnog and cigarettes, with the faintest twinge of old sweat from the previous night. It was great, and Brain buried himself in it.

For some minutes the world stopped, at it was perfect. He was in bed and didn't have any obligations. It was still very early, so he could enjoy the bed and Roger's body next to his for a few hours still. The drummer's rhythmic breathing told him that he'd fallen asleep again. Good. _You rest now, little angel._

Brian didn't know what would happen after this, if him and his blond friend had a future together, or if they would pretend it never happened. Sure, he would love to have many more nights like this one, but he was happy with just the one. The night had been memorable, inspiration for many great songs to come. And the morning was being great, too. Roger was still sleeping, and Brian didn't mind. Sometimes while they were recording or touring he missed this kind of... quiet, cold moments in which nothing happened. And if he had a man he'd always longed for in his arms, then all the better, right?

Brian was suddenly grateful to every bit of Christmas paraphernalia, to the reindeer, to the songs, to every coaster with a picture of Santa in them. It was Christmas and the stupid mistletoe tradition that gave him the strength to do what he always wanted, to step out of the shadows and grab (and kiss) the object of his desire.

Roger's feet were tangled in his own and the snow from outside gave everything an.... otherworldly glow. Somehow Brian felt that this was actually heaven, and that he'd just hooked up with an angel.

Ho ho ho.

Merry fucking Christmas.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly more...suggestive than the previous chapter, but no actual sexy action. In this AU among other things, Shape of water came out in the 70s. Hope you like! Waiting for your comments!

Roger was staying at Brian's place while his flat was fumigated, and the truth was that he was enjoying his stay quite a lot. Brian was like the yang to his ying, someone who knew how to calm hin down when he got worked up, someone who knew and understood him and someone with hobbies different from his own, but not unpleasant. He'd been concerned that they would spend the whole week fighting, but so far things were going quite smoothly.

He was going to ask him how to put back a piece from the sink he had unintentionally broken, but couldn't find him anywhere.

“Bri?”

“I'm in the bathroom.” The guitarist's familiar voice came.

As he didn't hear any water running, Roger figured the other man was shaving or brushing his teeth or something, and came in without knocking. But Brian wasn't brushing his teeth, no, he was having a bath, sitting in the bathtub. Naked. In the bathtub. Completely naked. Only some soap and white bubbles hiding his most intimate parts. Naked. God had he always been this beautiful? This... enticing?

Brian's hair was even longer wet, and fell on the pale chest – which was also wet, and soapy, like the bits on legs he could see, like his soft, soapy flat stomach.... There was a lot of of water and soap, and a lot of naked wet Brian... And Roger just froze there, eyes wide, sink part still on his hand, mouth awkwardly open as if he were a fish out of water.

“Roger? Is something wrong?”

Brian would have complained that his friend had come on the bathroom unannounced if Roger didn't look so...short-circuited. The drummer was frozen in place, looking at him with an odd intensity.

“Are you all right? Roger? Do you know where you are?”

He was too young to be having a stroke, right?

“Sorry.” Roger breathed, and left. But the image of his naked friend was going to stay with him for a long time. Shit. It had actually left him breathless – shit, he forgot to breathe when he saw Brian on the bathtub, all long limbs and soap and wetness, but nothing in the most sensitive areas, just water, murky and wet and all those droplets and all those bubbles. And then he understood, everything clicked. He'd just been too turned on to think.

Not knowing what else to do, he called Freddie and met him in a café.

“Something happened today.” Roger said, serious. “I walked in on Brian while he was having a bath.”

“And?”

“Well, have you seen Shape of water?” Freddie had. “Well, I'm the mute cleaning lady and he's the sea creature.”

Freddie understood immediately, as Roger knew he would.

“You want to bang a wet Brian?”

“I kind of do! God, I really do! And I don't know how this happened... but god I really do. And I've seen him change before, but it wasn't.... I mean, he's obviously a very attractive man, and he does, you know, very sexy things with that guitar, but that's the heat of the performance, right? Nothing else?”

“And the heat of him taking a bath?”

“You have no idea of how hot that was, Fred, I've never wanted to be a sponge so bad in my life.”

Freddie couldn't do anything else but laugh.

“It's not funny. I'm in a real crisis here.”

“You want to do something else with Brian other than sex him up?”

Roger was confused. Did he?

“I don't know... I mean, I do love the guy, he's one of my best friends. And he's smart and interesting and has a great mind for music, and I guess we work well together, you know, for jamming and those things... Oh my god, am I in love with Brian?”

Freddie remembered one day, a couple of years ago, when John leaned and told him “one day Roger and Brian will start sleeping together and everyone will be very surprised, who could have thought? I thought. I knew. Remember it". And it was apparently on the verge of coming true.

“Do you think he likes you back?”

“He won't, we're just friends, why didn't I knock? Why am I so stupidly impulsive? You should have seen him, Fred, all that hair cascading down his chest...”

“Cascading? Love has made you a poet, huh?” Freddie was having way too much fun with this.

“I hate you.”

But not as much as he hated himself. He felt like had ruined one of the best relationships he had over nothing. Now when he saw Brian he wouldn't be able to think about anything else other than those bubbles on his arms, the soap on his neck, floating down slowly, that smell of seabreeze and shampoo...It was too much to handle. His hands were shaking just thinking about it.

And then the dreams started. Uusally he was a sailor and Brian was a sexy merman, but there were a lot of variants on the nautical theme. Sometimes they washed up in a desert island, sometimes they were stranded in a little boat on a lake, sometimes he was drowning and sexy lifeguard Brian saved him. They all ended up in the same +18 kind of way, and they were always very wet.

Thinking that maybe it was just him having an odd kink, he told some of the ladies he picked up to have shower sex, or get in the bath, but nothing worked as it should. It just made everything more wet, and everyone ended up drenched up, but it wasn't sexy. Apparently, his kink only worked when it was Brian that was wet. Damn it.

Then there was an hotel with a swimming pool and it was so hot, and they had reserved it just for them, so they really had to go... Roger didn't think he would survive. They would be wearing only swimsuits, which were so tight, there was no room to hide any... And they would be wet, this was so not good.

Roger bought himself a popsicle to have something to concentrate on that was not Brian on the pool, with all the water on him and all those drops caressing his pale, lean form... travelling through every body part of his, every limb, every finger, and that kissable, kissable neck... Concentrate on the popsicle, Roger. Don't think.

But it was difficult not to think about Brian when he was in front of him, frozen in place, looking like he probably had looked when he saw the taller man on the tub. But he wasn't wet? What could possibly...Tentatively, Roger gave another lick to his popsicle, and Brian visibly shivered.

Roger smiled a naughty smile. Oh yeah, he could work with this.

 


	3. Chapter 3

“We have a bit of a strange request” one of the fans said. “We need a kiss.”

These fans were just the nicest, sweetest girls they had ever met. Queen were just starting, they had a total of one (1) album out there, but these girls had used all their money from birthdays and odd jobs to come and see them in different venues and had even signs and shirts with their names. One of them had even made some drawings of each member, with a remarkable resemblance. 

“But of course! Nothing strange about that, darling!” Freddie was happy to get lip on lip action. He just laughed, of course they would want to kiss him and it was perfectly normal... Ah, the things one had to do for show business.

The girls shared a look and grimaced. 

“Not with us, but between you guys… This is so awkward, we really shouldn’t have…”

“That’s okay, dears, who do you want me to kiss?” (Freddie was kind of hoping it was John, but wouldn't admit it in a million years)

“Actually, it’s not you… Not that that wouldn’t be great, but the kiss we want…. It’s them.”

And the spokesperson of the fans, a ginger girl called Mandy, pointed at Roger, still shirtless after the show, and Brian with one of those oddly sad looks he got sometimes. They both raised their eyebrows. This was... unexpected.

“Roger and Brian?”

“Roger and Brian, yes. It feels so odd to say out loud…Only if you want, of course, we understand if you don’t want to do it. It might make you feel awkward or like get you in trouble with any…significant other. But it’s just a quick innocent kiss in the lips, nothing too big. And it would mean the world to us.”

Mandy's heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her. She shouldn't have, they shouldn't have...

“Why?"

“So we can take a picture and then Jenny can draw it.” She said, as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

“I cannot wait to paint that kiss, like, it's going to be the most beautiful thing ever...” Jenny was lost in her fantasy, camera at the ready. 

“No, why Roger and Brian?” Freddie asked. 

“Oh. They just have such great chemistry onstage, you know? They look at each other, and smile and they just seem like such a great fit, you know?” Mandy said, trying to sound reasonable. 

“Yeah, and they're hot.” Jenny added, and then realised her mistake. “Not that you two aren't hot too, but he's blonder and he's taller. There's something really hot about them – together. Beyond words... but if it's too weird...”

“No, we'll do it. Won't we, Bri?” Roger said, smiling. “These girls have been months saving up to see us, and we're supposed to be outrageous, aren't we?”

The kiss was... hell, it was so much better than they expected. Soft, gentle, warm, long... an ideal kiss. For some seconds they closed their eyes and simply leaned into it, into that kiss from dreams, into that perfect moment. There was silence and the world seemed to have stopped. Jenny took like five pictures in a row, of them leaning in, of them kissing, of them looking at each other when they finally broke the kiss. 

When Roger opened his eyes and looked at Brian after they kissed, electricity coursed through him. Shit. That had been the best kiss he had in years, and he had kissed many many many people lately. But none of them could compare, this had been something else. But it couldn't be, right? Brian and him were friends, you don't make out with friends, with bandmates. It would be odd. And Brian had a girlfriend. 

Brian had a girlfriend, but she had never kissed him like that. He looked at Roger and what he saw... He had felt it too, hadn't he? Roger had felt it. This was no ordinary kiss, they had connected in a way that went beyond what they were supposed to be connecting. Shit. That kiss had made him think if any of his kisses before could even be called kisses. 

Roger looked to the floor, laughed nervously, anxious for a cigarette. If there ever was a time for a cig it was now. Brian tried to laugh too, but couldn't. The others were shocked – that had been quite something. 

“Thanks you, guys...” Mandy said. “That was...wow”

“Jenny, dear.” Freddie said, a mischievous look in his eye. “Will you send me copies of those pictures?”

Jenny nodded. 

After that things got... different. Roger and Brian kept catching the other staring while they were playing. Brian felt that Roger had become unfairly attractive lately, with those open shirts and how great the long hair complimented his face. And he knew how to make himself look even more beautiful and he could play the drums so well, and sing all those falsettos, and man did Brian enjoyed how much his talent had given to the band. How he had stuck by him through so much. Unfair. 

Roger felt it was unfair that Brain was so smart, and well put and that he knew how to hold himself together, even with things he didn't like. Roger admired how eloquent and soft and diplomatic Brian could be. How he held himself, how he moved, how he could be miles away and extremely focused at the same time. He admired all of that, all that Brian was, and he wondered what he would look like with no clo- 

_ No! Bad Roger! Stop! He's your mate, nothing more! He won't ever be anything more and this is stupid.  _

_ It was only a kiss.  _

_**It was only a kiss.** _

Brian left his girlfriend two weeks after, telling her that he was sorry, but he had developed feelings for someone else. Someone that would probably would never want him back, but still. Anyway you looked at it, it was bad. Confessing his feelings to Roger would probably strain or maybe even destroy their friendship, which would in turn hurt the band. They had more important things to do, he would focus on the band and writing more music, on his studies, on everything else. 

_ There was nothing there – I read too much much into that kiss.  _

_ It was only a kiss.  _

_**It was only a kiss.** _

There was an odd tension in the air for a while, sexual and otherwise. Brian kept writing and discarding songs about kisses because Roger would know it was about him, and he couldn't put the guy in the spot like that, it would be wrong. He wanted to do something about all of this he was feeling – it wasn't just some crush, hell he'd fallen in love with Roger. He wanted to live with him, caress him – He wanted to be Roger's one and only. 

And Roger kept trying to get together with girls to forget who he shouldn't be thinking about (it was only a kiss) and then rejecting them in the last minute because they weren't Brian. He give them other excuses, but yeah, that was the real reason. (And Brian got jealous and sad when he saw Roger leaving with someone else, and guiltily happy when he saw the scorned girl leaving with all her clothes on).

It was six months later that they saw Mandy and Jenny again, just after a concert, waving from behind a bunch of other fans. Not thinking too much about it, and drunk off his ass, Roger kiss Brian fiercely, thinking that he had an excuse to do so now that they were there, and that the girls might think it cute that he remembered. It somehow became a full-on makeout session, making the rest of the fans there present dazzled and confused (and slightly turned on). 

It had been so unexpected, so unlikely that in the middle of their signing autographs and posing with fans suddenly half of Queen would start making out. But that was exactly what happened, they didn't care about who was watching, they didn't care about anything. 

They broke their kissing, and then Roger spoke. 

“Brian?”

“Yeah?”

“I want to kiss you every day from now on, every single day, forever.”

Their foreheads were touching, the breathing was heavy, the crowd was looking at the scene in silence, as if they were watching a movie. Brian and Roger looked at each other and there was electricity – something connected, something lit up, as if there was a new star in the sky. 

“Roger?”

“Yeah?”

“Forever won't be long enough.”

The crowd was awwed, nearly in tears, loving every second of it. Something great was beginning in front of their eyes, something big and amazing, and it had begun so simply, so innocently...

It was only a kiss. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that musical reference was done on purpose. Hope you liked please keep commentingggggggg


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never watched this show, but I thought the idea was cute. Semi-modern the bachelor AU.

Roger was the the most sought after Bachelor in like the last seven edition of the program. Ladies from all over the world had come to court him, and he was loving it, and loving them. He very much enjoyed all that attention, all those women, everyone complimenting him all the time, trying to please him, to get on his good side, telling him he was the most interesting guy they had met in years.. Really. Loving it.

But still, there was something missing. A spark, a flame, something that told you, yes this is one, this person is worth spending the rest of your years with. He had fun with those women, but there would was no real chemistry, no connection. Everyone claimed to love music, but most of them didn't play, and the ones that did said awful things, like “it's just... I don't think violin and drums go well together” (which a total lie) or “This piano piece is too beautiful to add anything to it, much less drums, don't you think?”. They were just too stuck up to accept his rock and roll drumming ways.

He hadn't been in any band for a while, and he had hoped that the people on the show would put him a guitar or bass player, something like that. He's wanted somebody he could jam with, and he was a bit bummed that there was really nobody he could do it with. Sure, there were a lot of contestants who liked cars and party... but it wasn't enough.

All these women were a bit too... normal. Of course he enjoyed being courted by so many models and sexy ladies, but he would like someone a bit different, special, unique. Somebody that would make him proud to say “this is the person I've chosen for myself, because there's no one better”. Maybe someone who wrote music like him, who he could discuss lyrics with? Someone who was also into science would be a nice touch. He didn't mean to do anything with his biology degree, but he liked scientist people in general.

He was sharing his woes with a friend of his from the sound department, a young woman called Mary, when she mentioned something.

“You know who is into rock but is also a science guy? Brian, the cameraman. You know” she motioned at her head “curly?”

Oh Roger knew who she was referring to. He had noticed that lanky incredibly tall cameraman who always gave him those cryptic smiles. He had noticed his long fingered hands, he had noticed his expressive eyes (there seemed to be a lot of thinking going on behind them, and Roger had been intrigued) and the way his lips parted when he was concentrated. Yes, Roger had noticed.

“He plays?”

“He doesn't just play, mate, Brian's like the best guitarist I've ever heard. Lots of rock stuff, I think you'd like it. Maybe I can sneak you out the next time we go watch him play? Anyways, he's also a scientist of some sort, of outer space. What was the name... Astrophysics. Mouthful, really, but he's not arrogant or anything about it, he just knows a lot about space. Pity he can't participate in the program.”

Roger made a face. This guy sounded great, and he was kind of hot.

“You're sure he can't?”

“Bisexuality is a big no-no for the boss. He wouldn't allow it.”

But what if he didn't give them a choice? Sunday galas were live, and he could do a bit of what he wanted... Maybe he could force a situation in which the producers and bosses had to allow him to have this guy on because if not he would speak against them to the general public? The audience loved him and they would come up in arms if their dear Roger was refused a contestant he'd chosen just because he was a man. But did he really want to jeopardise his place in the program over this guy?

Then Mary took him to one of the concerts of Brian's tiny band. The things he did with that guitar... the power, the passion, the elegance... He was an experimental rocker, he was creative and loved his music... Yeah, he definitely wanted him on the program.

That Sunday came soon, and there he was giving his roses to the women he wanted to keep pursuing, when he got to the last one. The two girls were excited to see which would continue in the show, and Roger felt a bit bad for them, because there they they were with all their hopes up and the answer was that neither of them was going to continue. Roger looked at the camera, and spoke.

“I know this is a bit odd – and that the rules may not accept it, but I would actually like to this rose to someone who is working on the program, someone who has caught my eye.”

Mary smiled a big smile as she held on to that huge microphone.

The hosts and producers had no clue, though, and were confused.

“Someone from the program...Who?”

Nearly every woman working (except Mary, who knew better) were hoping it was them, because Roger was such a charming, lively guy... but Roger just started walking towards Brian's camera, rose at the ready.

“Hi, Brian... I know we haven't spoken much... or at all.. But I've seen play with your band, and I thought it was really beautiful what you did with that guitar, and, well, I think we have a lot in common... And well... you're quite easy on the eyes, too... Will you accept this rose?”

The crowd went crazy, cheering, applauding, whistling, loving their bachelor's very bold move. This looked like something taken out of a modern fairytale or a romcom. Brian was just frozen in place, eyes wide as saucers. Never in a million years he would have predicted something like this happening. When Roger begun walking his way, he just looked behind him, wondering who might be the lucky lady... but there was no one. Just him.

“We... kind of need an answer..”

Brian wasn't all that sure (he needed time to think! What did this mean for his job? Would they kick him out if he said yes? Did he really want to put himself in some TV contest, have everyone watch as he tried to get this man?) but he knew that he said yes on air the program would have to have him and was not going to be able to put any excuse as to why he couldn't. And Roger did interest him, he was so passionate about his drums and was obviously quite gorgeous...

“Absolutely”

After that, Brian became the favourite contestant of the show. The audience loved him and his humble origins, and they all had very much loved their cutesy beginning, with Roger seeking him out. Brian was also very charming, educated and intelligent without being too full of himself, and all his interactions with Roger felt genuine, much more honest than anything with the others.

“I wouldn't put down any of these lovely ladies.” He said, winning the hearts of everybody. “But I couldn't miss out on an opportunity to get to know Roger better, and I'm glad I took it! He's fun and lovely and an incredible musician.”

Their first date was just going to a studio to play, to do some music: just what Roger had been hoping for. It was magical. Brian was amazed at the magnitude of Roger's sound with his drums and the blond nearly salivated when Brian told him the story of how he built his guitar.

Week after week, each of the original contestants left for home, and even the ones who were left knew that there wasn't much they could do. Brian and Roger had developed too deep a connection, they'd become friends, and confidants – and they had a very clear sexual tension going around them. You only had to see Roger looking at Brian to know that the decision was taken.

The finale in which Brian and Roger finally officially got together was the most watched episode of the program since the first edition.

And the beginning of something that would last longer than any tv show.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Roger had never believed in love. He enjoyed the occasional escapades, he could go on dates and bring ladies back to his place, but he was completely convinced that all that whole “love forever”, “passionately in love” and “I'm so in love with you I don't even see anyone else” were simply a scheme to make people buy chocolate and flowers, that kind of thing. He was young, good looking and having fun, and didn't need any of those attachments

It was one Saturday night that things changed. They were in some pub, it was dark and crowded and full of smoke, he was with his band and a couple of ladies, each on one side, feeling like the king of the world. There was some sort of battle of the bands contest thing going on, and Roger was quite sure that their band was going to win. There hadn't been anyone who even came closer to what they had done, and then, after winning, he was going to have a good time with one or both of these ladies. Perfect night.

And then they came on stage, some band from London he'd never heard of. The singer was really good, the bassist good, the guitarist was fucking dreamy. Roger found himself having trouble concentrating on the business at hand and not staring. Gosh, they were good, which in turn was bad for them because he had really wanted to win...They had three songs to perform, just like them, and on the third one they... they changed singers.

“Let's give a round of applause for our guitarist, who's going to sing this amazing song that he wrote! Blow their minds, darling!”

The guitarist seemed surprised, and pleaded with the singer not to sing the song, claiming that his voice was worse and less pretty, saying that they were more likely to win if the regular singer sang all three songs. But the leather-clad frontman was not going to yield.

“You deserve your moment in the sun, dear, go and amaze them.”

And so the guitarist sang his song while playing guitar and Roger felt like he had no air and time had stopped. There was no one with him, there weren't any more people in that pub, there was no smoke and no other noise, there was no competition, there was no bandmates. There was only him, him and his sweet sad song. The rest of the world had disappeared.

Roger was transfixed. He could only look at the tall lanky man, at his long curly hair, at his incredibly soulful eyes, at the little smile he did between verse and verse, at the way his lips parted when he played a solo. He couldn't tear his eyes off, and the fact that the man sang only made things worse. His voice was soothing and gentle, beautiful and collected. And the song was about love and suddenly Roger decided that this could not be made up. Love existed, and was looking at him from the stage.

Brian had noticed the long haired blond man looking at him from the shadows, his eyes filling the darkened room with blue warmth. He'd felt quite nervous when Freddie had asked him to sing his song, I mean, in front of all those people, and just after hearing Freddie sing who he felt was so much better than him at singing...But the blond man's (he was the drummer of one the previous bands, wasn't he?) gaze on him somehow made everything better. Made every word of his song come true.

Yeah, why not, he was singing this to a stranger in the dark, a shirtless stranger with long blond hair, a stranger with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. All his lyrics had more meaning now, they made more sense, because he was singing them to him, and he was returning his gaze. He had never believed in love at first sight, he'd always thought that you had to know the person to get to love them but there was something about this man... Something special, an intensity, a rawness to his feelings, a unique way of living life...He was making him be a better singer, he was making him mean his lyrics more. Brian couldn't stop looking.

Roger couldn't stop looking either and wished that the song would go on forever. That song had touched his heart, and hell, he'd never a soft feelsy guy, but he was nearly crying. It was everything, the voice, the lyrics, the way the tall guitarist seemed to be speaking to his very soul. Was this what all those songs spoke about? Was this the thing he'd been denying his whole life? Could it be true, could really... love... be real?

The song came to an end, and Roger wanted to cry. He applauded with bright eyed and watched as that incredibly amazing man with a shy smile on his lips. No, it couldn't be, he didn't even know his name! Roger suddenly felt like the prince in Cinderella, hoping for a lost shoe or something that would lead him to his one true love.

“What was the name of that band? Do you remember? I didn't catch it!”

Fortunately for him, the band of the dreamy guitarist won (hadn't he wanted to win some short hours before? That didn't seem to matter now) and they stayed behind to celebrate. Roger's own fangirls and bandmates had left already, disappointed, and asking Roger what the hell was his deal. Roger didn't even hear them. He was in love.

He approached the other band, strangely nervous. Usually, he was great at these things, the breaking the ice, the seducing. But this was different – he felt like there was something important at stake here, and the words got caught in his throat. Still, he needed to make a move. Guitar boy was even more handsome up close and he needed a name, something to hold on to.

“I... just wanted to say that you guys were great. You deserved to win.” _Good, keep it about the band, make it general, Roger._

“Hey! It's you! We mentioned you before, when we were watching the other bands, what a great drum sound you have, didn't we, Brian?”

Brian. His name was Brian and he was very shocked to see the man he'd dedicated his most intimate song to suddenly so close, so near... God, his eyes shone even more up close. His nervous smile could replace the sun. This was... intense. Brian felt suddenly speechless, breathless.

“I... yes, we did. And thank you for the compliment, I was really hoping that my singing wouldn't ruin our chances, but you seemed to enjoy it, and I... I don't know, it made feel better, more confident.”

Roger's smile grew ten sizes and his eyes shone even more. He had noticed him! This beautiful man with that beautiful voice had noticed him!

“Are you joking? Your singing was my favourite part! I'm Roger, by the way.”

“Brian. Obviously.”

Freddie made himself scarce with a huge smile on his face, suddenly even happier that he'd made Brian sing. Maybe if he hadn't this wouldn't have happened, this meeting which could be nothing else, but... love. Brian had become someone very dear to him, and he was really hoping that he would find someone that would appreciate him and love him the way he deserved. And this cute blonde drummer had stars in his eyes when he looked at Brian, so things were looking good. Yeah,they were looking very good.

That night, thoughts of competition and a nice time with some ladies completely disappeared from Roger's mind. His hands were shaking, he was blushing like a schoolgirl (and to be fair, so was Brian) and he only wanted to be able to steal a kiss from the man in front of him.

That night, against all odds, Roger started to believe in love.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad chapter

Dr May was looking at that blond coma patient again, just standing on the foot of his bed, even though he knew he shouldn't have to. This was not even a patient of his, so he had no business being there. Even if it was, he would have no business just standing there on the foot of the bed, watching someone as he spent his days and nights unconscious, unmoving probably to never wake up again. It was wrong of Brian to do so, it was unprofessional and he should know better. A clear waste of time, and some people may say it was downright creepy.

But there was something that drew him to this man. He'd seen him first when one of his own patient was brought into the ward (she woke up from her coma, thankfully) and he'd been unable to tear his eyes off ever since. It wasn't simply the fact of how beautiful that man was, with his flawless skin and his long blond hair – it was something that went beyond that. More than just some lust over a sexy coma man (he had problems, didn't he? This is not right, Brian!)

Brian had the most uncanny feeling that the man lying there was somebody he knew or he had known, that this person was his soulmate, his best friend and partner, someone he could spend the rest of his life with. Which was probably absolutely stupid, because he knew nothing about this man, had never heard him talk, never seen him conscious. And yet Brian had never felt so strongly about anyone else before, and it was becoming harder and harder to stay away.

“Are you one of Roger's doctors? I don't know you.”

A voice said behind him, belonging to a young man with dark eyes that had just arrived. Brian snapped out of his reverie, glad to now have a name, and tried to say something that made sense.

“I'm not, I just...This is the patient of a colleague and I..” (sound professional, Bri, for the love of god) “came to assess his case.” (Good save)

The stranger smiled sadly.

“Roger would like you, with all that rockstar hair.”

“I... actually play a bit of guitar.”

“Do you? Roger plays drums – well, I guess I should say played... I'm Freddie, by the way, Roger's flatmate.”

“Brian.”

“So what's your medical opinion, Brian? All your colleagues seem to think that he'll never wake up again.”

Brian shook his head. No, there was no way this man would die so soon, not without meeting him, he had to know this Roger, he had to live. This couldn't go on forever – he had to, and was going to wake up.

“Well, the odds are against him, and medically I should say there's little to no chance...”

“But?”

“He will wake up. I don't know when, I don't know how, but he will wake up.”

Since that day, Brian became Freddie's favourite doctor.

This Freddie character somehow later managed to get Roger's case transferred to Brian, and together they discussed possible ways to try and bring him back. Roger's family was happier too, because even if this doctor was younger and less experienced, he seemed much more invested in Roger's situation and much more convinced that Roger would wake up, which in turn gave them hope too.

(One of the previous doctors even talked about unplugging Roger. Say goodbye, let him go. The nerve, the audacity. Roger was going to live, of course he was).

Brian was indeed very invested. He'd been thinking about how to get that man out of that coma a lot, and it was much more difficult not to think of him now that he was his patient, he was under his care, he'd read his file. Roger Taylor, 27. Multiple extensive traumatic injuries due to a high speed car collision. The damage to his legs and chest had healed up quite nicely, and so had the cranial trauma. But it had left in this apparently irreversible comatose state... Brian knew he should be giving up.

Still, he seemed like such a remarkable young man... Passionate about music, about fashion, but with studies in science too, played a bunch of instruments, apparently sang too... And Brian wasn't going to simply let him die without having even met him. It was painful, being so close and yet so far away, to know he was there but never get the chance to truly know him.. But that seemed to be the case, didn't it? While Roger's coma wasn't deep, his chances after so long unconscious were practically nonexistent.

Trying to distract himself, he went to visit his friend John, who was a doctor that worked in the pediatric ward. His eyes were suddenly to a book a mother was reading her kid. Sleeping beauty.Instead of distracting him, it reminded Brian even more of his own story, because he had an sleeping beauty, didn't he, and Aurora had been in some sort of a coma. But she had woken up, eventually.

With a kiss.

The thought of kissing his own sleeping beauty awake crossed Brian's mind, and he immediately regretted it. It was wrong, he shouldn't be touching patients like that, it broke a million hospital rules and medical ethics rules and who knew what else. But wasn't getting someone so young and promising to get to live again worth breaking some rules? 

And it oh would be so easy and simple! No more experimental protocols, with all their side effects, no more drugs, that could hurt the patient in unexpected ways, just a quick simple kiss, pleasant for both, and Roger would be back in the land of the living. Freddie would be overjoyed, Roger's parents and sister would be thrilled, he would get to meet that incredible human being.

Roger did have some very kissable lips, that was true. And if that could get him back from that damned coma... But no. He would just be kissing a coma patient who would remain exactly the same and Brian would feel that he put his career at risk over nothing.

Why was he so convinced that something from a children's fairy tale was undoubtedly going to work? It made no sense, and Brian had always been a fairly logical man.

“What are you doing to me, Roger Taylor?”

There was no reply, of course. There was never any reply and there never would be, because nothing that Brian tried was working, because that man had been driving too fast and put himself in a coma. The doctor knew that he shouldn't care that much, that this infatuation was wrong and unhealthy, but still... As much as he tried to distance himself he always ended up in that foot of the bed, looking at that blonde sleeping angel.

He kept trying and kept failing to bring him back from his slumber world, and it was starting to weigh on him, make him question his validity as a doctor. Why was he so hell-bent on fixing this? Most people didn't come back from comas. He should be leaving it well enough alone.

But as he couldn't and since nothing was working, in the end he decided to give in to his ever repeating thought, and do it. He chose carefully a moment when no one else was there, telling the nurses to take a break, that he kept watch. It was just him, his sleeping beauty and some other patients. No one that would talk.

So he leaned over, regretting what he was doing every second of the way and posed a gentle kiss of those cold lips. He shouldn't have done it, he knew. He closed his eyes, called himself all sort of terrible names... And when he opened them...

He was met by the bluest eyes he'd ever seen.

“Roger?”

The face in the bed drew a small, almost imperceptible smile. He was awake. He made it.

Then there was a whirlwind of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel. Roger was a medical oddity, almost nobody had woken up after all that time in a coma... People kept asking Brian how he'd done it, and he had to say that it wasn't his doing because he couldn't very well say “he was such a fairy tale prince and I thought maybe a kiss would wake him up”. It was awkward and it made Brian shy away for a big chunk of Roger's recovery.

But he couldn't stay away when Roger's sister found him on the hallway near Roger's new room and asked him to come, and let her parents thank him properly (even if he did say that it had nothing to do with him). Roger's parents were... extremely grateful. Even if Roger waking up had supposedly nothing to do with this curly haired doctor (which they didn't completely believe), it was him who had given them hope, convinced them that of course they shouldn't unplug their boy.

“Roger, do you remember Dr. May? He was there when you first woke up.”

Roger's memory wasn't all there yet. But he smiled, that smile of his, knowing.

“Prince charming. He woke me up with a kiss.”

“No, I didn't, Roger, that would be wrong. He's just confused, head injuries can have sequels like these.” Brian explained, a bit too quick.

But Roger knew. And Roger didn't care. He'd been woken up of a seemingly impossible condition, and he had got to meet the man of his dreams. Win-win.

Roger tracked Brian down after getting out of the hospital, asked to play some music together. Brian was afraid that the blonde man may be mistaking gratitude for love, but the truth was there was plenty of both. Yeah, they loved each other and even if their beginning was rocky... They managed to build a good, fulfilling, nice relationship.

Something worthy of a fairy tale.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very much inspired by the song Photobooth by Friendly fires

It was another one of Freddie's crazy ideas to promote the band. Every time they saw a photobooth and were together, they had to take some band pictures. No matter what time of day, no matter how they looked. There was one set with John just out of the dentist looking all high on laugh gas, there was one where Brian had a cold and looked terribly poorly.

But they'd got very good pictures thanks Freddie's policy of “no photobooth left untried”, some that they could use for agents and stuff, some that they could use for singles or albums or to announce shows. A lot of good pictures and the spontaneity of the “just see a booth and make the picture” gave them something different from other shows, form other bands, just separated them. Also, they looked super cute in those photos, so it was perfect for everyone.

They were going from one pub to another, slightly tipsy, when they saw them. Two very small photobooths, side by side, and of course they had to try them. It was band policy, wasn't it? Even if on the pictures it was probably going to be obvious that they were drunk, meaning they couldn't use those pictures for anything serious. But still, surely they could use them for something.

The isssue was, the place was too small, the framing was too small, and no matter how they positioned themselves, two out of the four people didn't fit on the picture, were cut off. And sometimes having just half a face of somebody was fun and cute, but in this case bandmates were simply missing from the pic, and how are you going to have a band pictures when half the band is missing?

But Freddie refused to give up. He was going to get some good pictures from this place, too, no matter how much time and how many tries it took. They just had to think a bit outside the box.

“We'll do it in pairs! And then we will join the pictures of the two pairs together, et voilà! Awesome band pictures in which we all fit! Brian, you're a photo person, aren't you? I'm sure you can meshhhh all our pics.”

“I...guess”

Freddie smiled a big, happy smile. This was going to be great.

“Ok, then, it's decided! Now it's time to pick the pairs.... I call John!”

And so he took his surprised bassist's hand and pushed him inside the photobooth, leaving the other two together as well.

“It seems that you and me go together then, leg boy.”

Roger said, flashing one of those adorable smiles. Brian felt butterflies inside him, and tried to get himself to kill the fluttering. This was not good. He couldn't be feeling those things for Roger, Roger would never return his feelings, the drummer would probably be even repulsed that Brian wished they could be more than friends. But it was difficult, when he was so close and so cute and so beautiful sitting on top of him.

Roger was also having trouble being... professional. The truth was, he always tried to get next to Brian on those photobooth pictures, because they gave him an excuse to touch his friends, they got close enough that he could sit on his lap, and feel his long legs under him, close enough that he could smell his hair, and maybe touch some chest, and.... Why was he thinking like this? It didn't happen with any other man, just Brian.

And it could go anywhere either, Brian was not into him like that, they had known each other for years and there was no indication that he liked him like that. And besides, getting into a relationship when they were beginning to get well known... It could only lead to disaster. What would happen when they unavoidably eventually broke up? It would hurt the band, and it would hurt their friendship which one something too important to jeopardise like that.

But it was hard.

Roger was sitting on Brian's lap so they would fit better, and he could feel... all of hi friend under him. And looking at his face to focus on something that was not his body didn't help, either. Brian was so damn handsome, with his jaw and his eyes, looking at him as if he were the most exciting person in the world... And that hair, so curly and nice that complimented his face so incredibly well... Roger couldn't help but let out a small sigh as the photos were taken.

Brian wasn't doing much better, despite Roger's certainty that he would never feel that way. How could he not feel that way? With Roger on top of him, so close, his thighs on his legs, his breath on his neck, all that soft blond hair caressing his neck and god, even the way he breathed was turning him on, it was horrible. And then Roger was looking at him, with those enormous blue eyes and Brian wanted to just take that face and kiss it forever as there were some flashes, and god...

It was too much. The closeness. The drunkeness. How late it was and how much they wanted each other. Roger leaned on Brian's neck for the picture and nearly couldn't stop himself from taking that gorgeous face on his hands and making out, then and there, in front of the cameras, for the whole world to see. And Brian... he was breathing very loudly, as if he too was so turned on that he could hardly think. As if he was as in love with him as Roger was with his friend.

But it couldn't be, could it? There was no way that this was something that could actually happen, not in that way. They were just friends, and they would forever be just friends. Nothing more than that, nothing closer or more intimate than that.

They were just friends. Friends sitting on top of each other, friends that didn't want the other friends to get up any time soon, friends whose faces were now so terribly incredibly close they were practically touching and they were close enough to hear each other breathe....

“OH MY GOD!” Their thoughts were interrupted by Freddie's voice outside the booth, and Roger and Brian, slightly blushy, decided it was probably time to get out of the booth. “I thought mine and John's pictures couldn't be out-cuted but look at this!”

There they were. The pictures of them looking at each other in awe, Roger looking at Brian as if he was the most fascinating being in the entire universe, Brian looking at Roger with stars in his eyes. The longing that was palpable. And those pictures of Roger on Brian's neck, as if they were this couple who has been together forever, and you envy them because even after all this time they love each other so much, still, after so long...

“These are the best honeymoon pictures I've seen IN MY LIFE, boys. Look at this! Look at how they're looking at each other! Will you, Roger Taylor, take me, Brian May, to be your lovely wedded husband? I can't marry you, darling, we're already married and this is our honeymoon.” Roger and Brian's blush only deepened with Freddie's words, and if that wasn't enough Deaky decided to join in too.

“Ooooh, in this one they're about to kiss. Do we have any super romantic songs? We could use them for any Valentine's day stuff-”

“I'm not... We aren't...”

Roger took the photos away from Fred and John, convinced that they couldn't be that bad, convinced that there was an easy interpretation of them just as friends... Close friends, sure, who care for the other a great deal, but nothing more. Nothing that could be misconstrued as romantic.

But then he saw the pictures... God, they were really romantic. Brian behind him also saw that and was... confused. Could his feelings be returned? What were they supposed to do if they were? There was the band to think about, they were just beginning to get more gigs, to get fans and get more well known... There were so many factors to think about, so many variable and so many reasons why getting together felt like a bad idea....

A lot of variables that were forgotten and shelved when their enabling bandmates started chanting:

“KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS!”

And what else could they do in that moment but kiss?

Maybe it was the wrong decision, and maybe they wouldn't be able to go back to what they were. Maybe they would have been better as friends, friends who had each other's back forever, friends who were there for years, decades even. But in that moment... in that kiss, lost on each other, none of that mattered.

They were together, they were young and in love (and their love was reciprocated!) and his bandmates looooved them together. It felt like a dream come true.

Many MANY many love dovey photobooth session followed. There were enough pictures of Roger and Brian making out or kissing to fill an entire album. Which they did.

And then another one, and another one, documenting how time passed, and how despite how much the world changed they still loved each other, and their honeymoon never ended.

 


	8. Chapter 8

I.

It was a strange picture. John was watching Brian as he was watching Roger. And he didn't exactly know why, but he didn't want to break the moment. Brian looked so content, so happy, just standing with his cup of tea, looking at Roger...

Roger had come back from another night of partying at about 4am and just passed out on the couch, where he was still sleeping. He was hugging a cushion, one of his legs was on the floor and who knew who his pants had gone. He was drooling a bit and his hair was a complete mess. But his face... his face was positively angelic.

Brian was fascinated by him: that cute little nose, those beautiful pink lips, slightly parted and wet in the corner with saliva, those pretty pretty big closed eyes and those so-long eyelashes... He was so incredibly beautiful, and looked so peaceful while asleep, so trouble free and happy with life. It was enough to make Brian's heart melt.

When he was awake Roger could be... more of a handful, difficult to handle. He got very angry for everything, he screamed at all the things that happened to him that he wasn't completely happy with, he sometimes had a hard time accepting criticisms. But still, even then, and even when he was very different for him, Brian found those traits kind of... endearing.

Him getting all angry and flustered, screaming with that high voice of his, demanding whatever it was that he wanted this time... Well, ti often brought a smile to Brian's face, who had begun to find it quite cute. Which was a bit strange. He hadn't had those thoughts before, what had changed? Had Roger become somehow that much cuter while Brian wasn't looking or had he been blind before?

Whatever had happened the truth was that Roger was a heavenly creature, especially when he was sleeping and Brian could stay there watching him for the rest of his days, as odd and creepy as it may sound. Watching the younger man sleep was a sanctuary among his million negative thoughts, a safe and happy place.

There was something about Roger sleeping, something warm and pleasant, not exactly pure but very nice. Something very much him, very much Roger, beautiful but full of energy, even when resting, even then. And Brian wanted that in his life, forever.

John was watching Brian and thought that the whole scene was lovely. They, in the band (himself included) often wrote songs and sang about love, but seeing it so clearly, just happening in front of him... It was rare, but in some way magnificent. Just watching your friend look at his object of desire with a calm, loving expression and never wanting to get away... Pure love.

Seeing it happen so clearly was a good feeling. Something he also felt some days later.

II.

This time it was Roger the one who had stars in his eyes, as he looked at an asleep Brian.

Brian had fallen asleep on his bed, after he'd gone for some peace there with his guitar, and when Roger had gone to ask him if he wanted to go out for some drinks, only to find him made a ball on top of the bed, surrounded by his guitar and a ton of sheet music and notes.

It was such a very Brian thing to do, falling asleep surrounded by all that music, and he looked so nice and calm while asleep, with his hair obscuring half his face, his long legs nearly on his chest, sweet, but at the same time grand.

Roger couldn't help letting out a long and longing sigh. He was something else, wasn't he? Brian had so much music inside him, so much rock and roll – and Roger loved that about his bandmate, that he had so much passion and revelry under that cool and tranquil demeanor. It was maybe one of his favourite things about the guitarist, and definitely one of the things that had made them bond when they first met each other.

Not just the passion for music, but their love and capacity for rock. They both enjoyed the very classical rock, they both enjoyed some fast songs, some nice stories about picking up a guitar and changing the world. And Brian felt like that too, he'd left a promising career in science to write songs and perform with them, and that had taken bravery and strength and god did it turn Roger on.

And seeing Brian laying there with all that music surrounding him, even in bed – Roger could feel his affection and admiration for the man in front of him growing, his heart swelling up a couple of sizes. And the more he heard Brian play and sing, the more beautiful he seemed, the more interesting, the more Roger found himself lost in that sking from his chest from he opened his shirts, the more he got lost on those very expressive eyes, the more he got lost on Brian, in general.

But he hadn't realised. All that time looking at him, jamming with him and loving how good they sounded together, how mch great music they could come up with...and still he hadn't realised.

Someone else had.

“You should tell him.” A voice said, snapping Roger out of his reverie. When had John arrived there? How had he not seen him appear?

“What?” Roger said, trying to get back to reality.

“You should tell him.”

Roger frowned. Tell what? To who?

“You should tell Brian that you're in love with him.”

Roger was suddenly lost for words, his face getting red as a tomato.

“What...? I don't.... I am not! Why would you...? It's not like that! I'm... I'm not in love with him!”

John made a face that said, louder than words, in the most ironic way possible “sure you aren't, dear”

“What's the point of denying it, Roger? What's the point of all this time looking at him with those longing eyes? Tell him, I'm sure you'll make him happy.”

Roger felt as if someone had slapped him in the face with the terrible but inescapable truth. He hadn't noticed, or hadn't wanted to admit it to himself, but John had been so sure... Like there was no possible way of denying it, as true as the sky being blue. Ok, so maybe he was in love with Brian and maybe he would love to watch him sleep forever, as years and maybe even decades passed...

Roger smiled to himself. That sounded like a plan.

III.

Roger and Brian had fallen asleep after a nice session of cuddling on the huge sofa they'd got on the apartment and it was the cutest thing John had ever seen in his entire life. Brian was hugging Roger, who was made a ball inside his lover's warm embrace.

They got together some months prior. And one of their favourite parts of being together romantically was not simply sleeping together, but everything that surrounded it, the sleepy cuddles, the waking up to find the other next to you, the gentle breathing and nice embraces under the bedsheets.

It became almost a ritual: whoever woke up first would stay for a bit on the bed without moving, just watching the other, enjoying the sight of this person they were lucky enough to share their lives with. Brian become acquainted with Roger's much tossing and turning at night, with the little noises he made as he tried to find a comfortable position for all his moving around. Roger got to know intimately the way Brian's chest would go up and down, softly, calmly, in an almost soothing way.

John told Freddie to be quiet, when he saw the singer come up, not to break the moment. They smiled and took a picture, feeling lucky as well, overcome by joy. Sometimes, the in between moments of life could be the best part.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Neither of them believed in Valentine's day, never had. It was a capitalistic holiday that wasn't all that traditional for them anyways. Just some way to sell more cards and roses. Nothing real about it, nothing worthwhile. It was just a day like any other, a rather cold one, and there was nothing there to celebrate just another day in the middle of February.

They were rockstars, beyond those kinds of superficial crap. Sure, some years ago, when he was younger Roger may or may not have used the excuse of Valentine's day to do some little romantic things that would earn him certain... favours from certain love interests of his, and he'd been quite successful, but it seemed stupid and childish now. It was just another day, no reason for celebration at all, both for him and Brian.

Still, the two of them could use some celebrating and some cornyness, as they both had quite terrible a winter.

Roger had been struggling with a lot of things. First it was the fact that most of his relationships had fallen apart practically without even beginning. People seemed very interesting and interested in him at first, but it never lasted. Either he realised that this person was not for him, or they didn't want to put up with all that he was. And he was getting tired of the constant pursuit and the constant failure.

He wanted something meaningful for once, somebody who accepted him the way he was, absolutely everything. A lot of people were attracted to his beauty and his talent, but when they got to know him they got tired quite easily, or he got tired or bored with them. He wanted someone who understood the constant whirlwind that was Roger Taylor, accept it, loved him for it even and was able to keep up. He was just wanted some company, was that too much to ask?

It was something strange to admit, because he was always surrounded by people, but sometimes he felt lonely, alone, very alone. Like he didn't have anyone to talk to, only fans and people that were getting close to him because he was famous, and they wanted a taste of that life, a taste of of being with the hot drummer of Queen. But the image they had didn't match up the actual person, and there was always disappointment. He wanted to someone he could have true connection with, something real.

He also felt a bit stuck, creatively speaking. He'd always been a very musical guy, who played a lot of instruments and had lots of ideas, lots of songs in him. But that last winter... nothing would come, nothing good. Roger felt that maybe he'd lost his touch, that maybe he wasn't going to be able to write anything good again. All right, so maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but it still felt like lost time.

They were big now, and there were some expectations. He thought that the more he wrote, the better he would become, the easier it would be to make good songs... but no. This winter had been awful for good new things by Roger. He felt that everyone else was creating good new things, and in the meantime he was left being the least creative of all of them. It was not a good feeling, and he didn't want to burden the others too much, as they had their own (probably more important) issues.

Like Brian. Roger loved the guy, but lately he was giving them a lot of scares, making them all worry. His health issues had flared up again, making them have to postpone and cancel a lot of recording sessions and making them spend a lot of sleepless night in the hospital, being told that there was nothing that could be done, except wait, and hope that “the evolution would be favourable”, which was doctor talk for “fingers crossed”.

Brian felt awful, and not just because he was seriously ill. He felt awful that he was putting off the progress of the band, he felt awful that the others couldn't continue with the album (the amount of things that could be done for a rock album without the guitar were a bit limited) and knew that there had to be some talk of him being replaced. What good was a guitarist that was constantly getting sick? And Brian understood, he really did, he would understand if the next day he went to record there was someone else playing guitar.

But it was making him really anxious, because Queen was very important for him, and he didn't want to lose his place there. He'd wanted the band to be his way of living, to be his life. He'd left behind a career in astronomy for this band and to think that now they could (and they probably should) get someone else to play guitar... It causing him a lot of stress, which in turn wasn't helping his health one bit. Everything piled up.

He hated feeling this weak, he hated all those long hospital days and night, he hated seeing his friends' and family's concerned, tired faces and they stayed throughout all the visiting hours. He didn't want to be causing them this distress, this worry, and he really was tired of feeling bad, of being this sick, but it was something that was out of his control, and it was frustrating, annoying and absolutely exhausting. He was tired of being sick and all its implications, and he was tired of not being able to do much about, except taking the occasional medication.

As if that wasn't enough, his relationship with his dad, who'd been so good up until when Brian had decided to dedicate himself to music exclusively, was still strained, and it was taking its toll on him. Brian was afraid that at some point something irreversible could happen to either of them while things weren't still completely good... And he was very tired of feeling like this, afraid, and unhappy with how things were.

But they still had friends, didn't they? Roger and Brian could rely on each other, even if the rest of the world forsook them. Roger was a bit bitter and jealous of Freddie because what he had with Mary was exactly what was missing from his life, and Brian felt the same about John and his idyllic family life.. But they always had each other, the same way they'd had each other for the past.... Well, many years.

It was amazing that they still were so close after so many years, amazing that they connected so well despite being so terribly different. Roger was fire, Brian was ice, Roger was day, Brian was night. If you only got one you got burned or frozen, but together... The light and the darkness, a bit of both, they were the perfect balance. And they had used that balance very nicely together, they had translated that into some very good songs, into a very strong stage presence, and one of the most solid friendships in the music business.

But even for them and their unbreakable bond, that winter of hell had taken its toll. Roger felt that he couldn't go to Brian for his minor issues when Brian's were so serious (feeling alone paled in comparison to hospital stays) and Brian, not knowing this, simply felt that Roger was distancing himself, not telling him what was going on with him. It was stupid, because they both cared about the other so much, and to avoid hurting someone they cared, they were putting distance, and actually hurting them.

There was something else happening between them, something deeper, going on on a more subconscious level, that had been developing over the course of years. Their friendship was good, but it was... not enough. Brian resented the fact that with all the people Roger had asked out, he was never one of them, he didn't even seemed to be considered. Why not? He was talented, he wasn't that bad looking, he knew Roger, intimately, and still loved him. Which was something that not many people could say. Why couldn't Roger see a future with him?

Despite what Brian thought, Roger had imagined a future with his friend many many times. Brian was ideal for him, it was someone with who he shared a history, someone that knew him before he was famous, and someone that knew all of who he was, and still loved him. Yeah, they fought sometimes, but they always made up, because they were too important to each other for not having the other around.

Roger imagined a big house, with lots of music instruments and maybe some big terrace where Brian could put his telescope. And they would have some beers at night, and talk about their things, and cuddle on a big sofa while they ate something and watched some tv. Yeah, his fantasies of family home life included Brian, because he didn't want him far, he didn't want him with someone else, he... loved him.

The truth was that, they loved each other, even if neither of them seemed to be even on the vicinity of telling. Some thoughts of not being reciprocated, thinking that this was not “the right moment” after everything that had been going on, fear of ruining a good friendship and making it awkward or ruining the band... There were many reasons why neither of them confessed, but in that cold February evening someone confessed for them.

They both received a note telling them to go to an address on that Valentine's night, where their friends were waiting, and found themselves in a lovey-dovey romantic dinner for two.

“We know that you guys don't believe in these things, but you both gone through so much, and you love each other a lot, everyone can tell, so we thought... We thought maybe we could be words you couldn't say, we could be a light in the middle of a very dark winter.” Freddie said, grandiloquent as he liked to be, and let John continue speaking.

“Brian, Roger, you both feel the same way. Your feeling are returned, and you are hurting yourself pretending you're just friends. Take this day and this opportunity to start something new. Away from that dark, lonely winter and into a better year. Valentine can be a good an excuse as any, to get better, to admit... that you don't just love each other, but you're in love with each other.”

Looking around, the room was filled with heart shaped balloons, teddy bears, and all types of pink candy. It was nothing like them, nothing like what they used to, but sometimes... sometimes change was welcome, even if it was as odd as this one. It was corny and stupid and clichéd, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that they were together, and what John had said...

“Roger? Is that true? Do you.... feel the same way?” Brian felt himself blushing like a teenager, and hated it, but tried to keep himself together. This was important.

In lieu of an answer, Roger just walked in quick paces to his friend and planted a quick kiss on his surprised face. A kiss that was awkward at first, but soon melted into a better, deeper longer kiss that felt as natural as breathing, and as necessary as oxygen. This had been a long time coming, and the wait had only made them get into it with more passion.

When they looked at each other after breaking the kiss there was an enormous grin on their lips, that also reached their eyes. This was what they had been waiting for, this was who they were waiting for. All this time, they'd had it in front of them, but they had needed a stupid capitalistic holiday and a pair of meddling friends to realise it, and to be able to do something with it.

“Will you be my Valentine, Roger?”

“This year and every year.”

And from that day on, as much as it was a manufactured holiday, Brian and Roger always celebrated. It wasn't just Valentine's day, it was also their anniversary.... The day their lives changed for the better.

A day unlike any other.

 


	10. Chapter 10

The last couple of years had been the best of Roger's life. Queen had absolutely taken off, they were now one of the biggest bands of England. They were actually (finally!) making money with their music, so they could really live off it, but it wasn't just that. They had recognition, even after all the bad words from the critics they had fans, people that loved them and loved their music. And that made Roger feel alive, an important, and just really fucking great.

And if that wasn't enough, he was in the best relationship that he'd ever had been in, with one of the most wonderful men in the world. Brian and him had gotten together in a very sloppy unexpected way, one day while with the others, when they were drunk off their asses and and they played truth or dare and one of the dares was to kiss a bandmate. Roger chose Brian, because he'd always secretly thought that the guitarist was kind of hot, and that became their first makeout session.

Many followed. For a while, it was just a physical thing. Whenever they got all hot and bothered, the other was always around, and it was easy to let go of their frustration in the arms of the other. Roger hadn't meant to catch feelings, but he did, epically. A couple of months later he was asking Brian on dinner dates, hoping to meet his family. Corny stuff like that. Because even if he hadn't been _that_ kind of sweet boyfriend that remembered birthdays and greeted relatives with a smile, Brian brought out the best in him, made him want to be better. (And made him think cheesy stuff like that).

They fought, too, they fought a lot. They fought about music, they fought about life, they fought about who was supposed to do the dishes. Roger got angry very easily, and even if his boyfriend had nothing to do with whatever had made him mad, it was easy to just unload on him. Sometimes he'd said some hurtful stuff and regretted it, sometimes Brian had retaliated, but others he had just taken it making Roger feel like the worst scum on Earth. They spent practically all of their time together, and sometimes it was hard. But more some miraculous reason, they remained together and had a lot of great moments.

Like that time when they were in a hotel room in Japan and made love on top of every table, those endless walks on the beach in Australia, the mid morning breakfast after the staying in bed late cuddling. It was moments like those that stood out the most clearly in Roger's mind and it was because he wanted a lifetime of moment like those that he'd been ready to take the next step.

He knew that he hadn't been the perfect boyfriend (throwing stuff out of windows, mocking Brian's songs, occasionally being dismissive about guitarists in general, never paying too much attention to all his star talk, being the less proficient in housework...) so he wanted to make for it by having the most memorable, amazing and perfect proposal and wedding of all time. They were going to go the hill where they had one of their first (real) dates, and take the telescope on a night of a meteor shower to give him the ring on a perfect moment, out of the blue, surprising Brian with his sudden romantic prowess.

There was only one little problem: Roger couldn't find the ring. He had hidden it somewhere, without the little box, so that Brian would be super unable to find it, not even when he was cleaning. Like he said, everything needed to be perfect, because it wasn't just a marriage proposal, it was also Roger's way of saying thank you to Brian for this past years, for all that he'd endured, for standing by this impetuous drummer through thick and thin. It was important for Roger that everything went without a hitch, because he wanted, needed to repay every kindness his partner had with him.

But he had hidden the damn ring so well that now he couldn't find it. Roger had looked everywhere, from the inside of the toilet to the back of the tv, even inside his drum set and Brian's damned guitar... He'd put the whole house upside down, and still couldn't find it. Damn it, he had some distant memory of having put it near the sink, what if it had gone down the drain? This was a disaster, an absolute and complete disaster, the meteor shower was tonight and he didn't have a damned ring for his boyfriend. Technically he could buy another, but he had spent a long time trying to find something that would suit Brian, something that he'd like and that would look good with the clothes he usually wore.

Roger's heart fell to his feet. He was angry at the house, for hiding things so well, angry at himself, for not having simply left the ring with John, who was not going to babble like Freddie and would have kept the bloody thing somewhere he could remember. Angry at the world for not allowing him to do this once nice gesture. He took a magazine and started tearing it to shreds, cursing himself for losing not just the ring, but the opportunity to be surprising and cute and thoughtful. Now he was back to his angry self, breaking up paper pieces on his messed up living room. He had only made things worse.

“Looking for something?” A familiar voice said. Brian. Damn, he hadn't even heard him come.

Brian sat down next to him, with all his perfect curls and his long legs on the couch. Sometimes Roger hated how beautiful the other man was.

“I'll clean up after, all right?” The drummer replied, in a very pissed off voice.

“Maybe you were looking for this?”

And there it was, in Brian's majestically big palm, the ring he'd been looking for for so long.

“I thought it was Freddie's, or John, and when it wasn't, I took it to your sister, in case it was hers. She just told me that you're an idiot.”

Roger made a face.

“You weren't supposed to find it. I was supposed to give it to you in this great magical night out where I surprised you.”

Brian let out a little laugh.

“When have things gone like they were supposed to? I was supposed to be a bigshot astronomer, not give up everything over a strambotic band of rock. I was definitely not supposed to fall in love with one of my best friends. We probably shouldn't have got together over a dare. But we've always been beyond that, haven't we?”

Roger put his head on Brian's neck, and pouted a bit. That sounded logical, as most things that Brian said, but it wasn't good enough. He was still pissed, because he had absolutely

“I just wanted to do something special for you, something grand. We were going to go to that hill from our first date and watch the meteor shower, and then I'd show you the ring and it would have been perfect. Something that showed how much I care and that I really love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Now you found a ring on a drain and came home to a messed up flat and bits of paper everywhere. It's not romantic.”

“Ah, sweetheart, it's okay. If I wanted perfect I wouldn't have stayed with you all this time. And I'm touched that you thought of the whole thing, even if it didn't work out. I love you anyways. Even if can be, sometimes, an idiot.”

Roger stayed there for a bit, on Brian's shoulder, while the older man caressed his blonde hair. It was pleasant. Peaceful.

“So, will you?”

“Will I what?”

“Will you marry me?”

“Of course I will, my darling idiot. Why wouldn't I?”

In the end, it did manage to be a magical night, even if it was mostly composed of chasing each other around the house, under the bed giggles, and sexy shower times, something they technically could have done any other day. But that was the magic of it, wasn't it? Any day, every day was magical.

Any day of being together was grand, and amazing, and very damn romantic.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wedding chapter after anyone??


	11. Chapter 11

 

They've snook out and were now in some beach in Australia, by themselves. They were not so famous yet that a lot of people stop them (they would maybe recognise Freddie, but not them by themselves) and it was really nice having some time by themselves. Nobody knew them here, it was a whole new country, but they did speak English which made everything else that much easier. They felt... free. Liberated, in a way.

They hadn't told anyone that they were together, not even the other members of the band, which made everything that much harder. When they were in the studio or in London, they could always find some time to be together after band commitments, and it was easier to hide it. They just said that they were on their apartments and because they lived alone there was no one to dispute it. They had to be careful not to talk about things they did on their... intimate time, not to know things they weren't supposed to know about each other.

Both Roger and Brian were a bit scared of the repercussion and the reactions of the others (and the press, god th press was going to be a nightmare) when they found out about their relationship. It wasn't advised to be sleeping with a bandmate, they knew. Anyone would tell you that it affects things, that when the couple breaks up it can ruin the band. But there were a lot of husband and wives playing together, weren't they? What about Abba? It was true that this could have negative consequences for Queen, though.

The music could and probably would take a step back and on the front pages there would be gossip, gossip about the hottest couple on music, if they had fights, if they were going to break up. Every time Roger was with a woman they would accuse him of cheating, all they would ask either of them would be romantic nonsense. And they would lose fans over Roger not being available, that was for sure. And they wanted the focused to be on the music, always, on the hits and the smaller songs, on the meaning of lyrics, on the potency of solos.

And Freddie and John... They could be very understanding, or very worried. Every time they argued they would be scared that this would dissolve the band forever, every time they wrote a love song they would be told that it was too mushy, or too obvious. (Because yes, most of the love songs they wrote were for each other. Even before they together). Freddie and John could even be uncomfortable with the idea of their two bandmates being in a relationship, think it would make them blind to the other's fault, just because they were in love. Which made no sense, but still...

Even the two of them had hesitated (a lot) before getting together. Their first priority was the band, making good music, being creative monsters, showing the entire world their vision and making people love it. They wanted to become an indisputable reigning force in music, and getting too personal with a member could muddle up things. Feelings tended to do that. And what if they didn't work out together in that way? They would always be bitter, and ruin a perfectly good friendship.

Really, the entire world told them that this relationship was bad. And yet...

It was really easy to fall in love with Roger. He was physically possibly one of the most beautiful men walking on earth, and he knew how to make his attributes shine even more. But it wasn't just that – Brian knew that he would love Roger even if he was short and missing an eye. No, what made him fall in love with the drummer ever so desperately was how passionate he was about everything, how much he loved music and how incredibly confident he was.

Despite being above average in academics, Brian often felt that he wasn't enough, that he didn't live up to expectations, that everyone around him was better. It was probably nonsense, his depressive tendencies taking over him, but as a person with unstable self-esteem Roger was like the elixir of the gods. He knew he was great and he loved being great. And Brian loved him too, because he was fierce and strong but could be sweet too, when he wanted. He was an incredible drummer too, and knew how to sing beautifully. Brian hadn't meant to fall in love with one his best friends, but hadn't been able to stop it.

Something similar happened to Roger, who kept ignoring and denying what he was feeling. No, of course he hadn't noticed the way Brian's hands moved to the guitar. Of course he didn't think that his voice was the calmest, gentles and most precious thing in the world. Of course he hadn't wondered what he would look like naked, of course he hadn't thought of those long legs embracing his own while they were on bed... No. He hadn't thought any of that.

The same way he didn't feel a bit faint when Brian smiled at him, or checked on him. That was stupid, why would he feel like that? Sure, Brian was a more attractive friend than most, and sure, when he wasn't there he missed and maybe he wanted to spend the rest of his days with him... Fuck. He couldn't deny it anymore, could he? He loved the man, and there was no logic argument, no band issue that would change it. He was unavoidably, irrevocably in love.

The good thing was that Brian returned his feelings, and for a couple of weeks after they found, one drunken night in a bar that their feelings were reciprocated, they'd been in pure bliss. The fact that no one could know made everything more exciting, more intense and epic. Roger fondly remembers hotel rooms on the name of the Mr. Meadow, snuggling in a dark cinema, making out in bathrooms. Always alone, always unseen. The other man was their whole world.

But when they were touring it could be hard. They spent so much time together with the others, with press, with crew, it was really hard to find some time for just the two of them, for their... couple things. And they missed each other and it was hard being so close but at the same time so far away, having to act like they were just friends, friends who had never thought of each other in any way beyond the usual one, friends who didn't end conversations with a nice I love you and a kiss on the lips.

So this few by themselves on the beaches of Australia had truly been a gift, and something they had wanted (needed!) very badly. And they were enjoying the hell out of it. Cocktails, diving in the sea, Brian taking a lot of pic of Roger's smile as he came out of the water, splashing each other and giggling like idiots, making out on the sand while the sun kissed their still drying bodies... They had to make up for lost time, didn't they?

It was hard, sometimes, the thing that they had, the two of them. Brian had on more than one occasion told Roger to find someone else, someone better, that being with him would only get him in trouble, being an obstacle in his dreams, something that any of his fans wouldn't be. One day somebody would find them out, and if it was someone else it wouldn't matter, but him... It would be hell. They were too different, anyways. It was only a matter of time before Roger got tired or bored of him.

Roger told him the same amount of times that “screw the world, screw everything, we're going to be greatest band on earth, and most longest couple in rock, you'll see!”. Honestly, he'd been as happy with anyone before Brian, and he didn't think he would as happy with anyone else. It was Brian that he wanted with him, it was him, despite all their fights and all their differences that understood him, encouraged, always counted on him. (And he also happened to be a great kisser, which helped).

It was hard, yes, sometimes he wanted to just yell at the world how much he loved the taller man, how fucking happy he made him. Sometimes he got a bit too worked up when people were mean to Brian, or (what happened more often) ignored him completely. Sometimes he just wanted to take his face and kiss after a concert, and not have to wait until they were alone. Sometimes he got too horny listening to Brian sing and had to excuse himself, because he really had no reason, when it was just the four of them. It was hard, yes, keeping it a secret, not being able to be together as much as they would like.

But still...

They were cuddled together, sitting on a towel, watching that beautiful sunset, with the sea and the sand, and the beautiful pink clouds and the clear skies, and Brian was humming something quietly, and Roger was caressing his boyfriend's neck, and it was...perfect.

The world didn't need to know. Hell, the world didn't deserve to know.

(Many years later, they look at the pictures from their time alone and wonder how they managed to keep it a secret. How nobody seemed to notice. The writing was on the wall... or on the beach)

 


	12. Chapter 12

Brian's date was exceptionally dull. It was a blind date organised by a classmate, and he was just hoping to eat something good and get out of his head, hadn't hoped to meet the love of his life, but this... She kept talking about the way she organised her appointments and how difficult it had been for her to make time for this. How busy she was and important she was – not a single comment about anything that could be of interest to him. She'd never Brian anything about him, and her talk about the entrepreneurial world didn't amuse him in the slightest.

That date was officially a failure, a disaster. He'd never believed much in blind dates, they felt a bit too forced, there was too much pressure put on the parts to make it work... romantically... Brian liked it when things started as friendship and then progressed, or when there was so much chemistry in the room (in parties, in pubs, that sort of thing) that you felt an almost magnetic connection and you had to get closer, ask for a name, something. But there was none of that with this woman. In fact, he was actually more interested in a blond man that was having dinner some tables in front of him.

Mysterious blond boy was having dinner with an equally blonde woman and seemed to be as bored as him. Brian had noticed him because he was extraordinarily beautiful, with big expressive blue eyes, and hair as long as his, only fairer and you know, not curly. But he had a face like something out of a “world's most beautiful men” magazine or something, and a very open shirt with some necklaces, only making his great chest stand out more. That mouth... those lips.. the way he rolled his eyes at whatever nonsense his date was telling him...What a man.

Brian imagined this blond as a musician like him, maybe a singer with a surprising voice, maybe someone who played an odd instrument... like a harp, or a clarinet, or something even weirder like a theremin or a gong. Something impossible, but somehow blond boy made it work. He imagined both of them jamming together, an ever increasing exciting musical encounter....And their shirts were open, and suddenly there were no shirts, because what the hell, this was a fantasy he was having to entertain himself, and blond guy looked like he would have a cute tummy, with a nice belly button, and suddenly they were naked...

And then blond guy noticed him staring, and winked at him, a playful smile on his lips. Oh, god. He had totally caught him in the act, probably even realised that he'd been fantasizing, oh dear, oh god... At least he seemed fairly into it, not horrified or creeped out, but kind of glad to have caught Brian's attention.

Roger was indeed very glad that he had. His own date was only going out with him to make her ex jealous, and kept talking about him. Roger knew more about this elusive Jason than he knew about her. It was a shame, really, this Rachel looked like an interesting person, but she was too focused on making her ex angry and jealous so that he'd know what he was missing out on, that he was actually missing out on the chance to be with the man that was in front of her. And Roger had no time to that, he had better things to do on his Saturday nights. Like curly boy, whose name he really wished to know.

He'd noticed him watching, looking at him intently, almost with desire, his head apparently lost in the clouds. He was really quite handsome (great face, great hair, great neck) and Roger had to admit, curly boy looked....Interesting. Enticing. Much more exciting than the person in front of him, at least curly boy was interested in him first and apparently only, since he was looking Roger's way more than he was looking at his date. So Roger decided to play with it a little.

Roger looked at his date, looking at her salad while still engrossed on a monologue about why Jason should never had done what he did but that she would have forgiven him, and he pointed at his date and then pretended to blow his brain off with his hand. “My date is so bad I want to kill myself” he wanted to say with an exaggerated expression, and it made curly boy laugh. Good - it was a start.

Brian's date asked him what was so funny, because she'd been talking about something serious, and Brian, always the diplomat, told her that he'd just remembered a joke. She frowned but kept talking about her her impossible schedule, bowing to just walk out if he ignored her again, because she had more important things to do than hang out with some wannabe rockstar with impossible hair. Brian wasn't opposed to the idea of finishing the evening alone, if he was honest.

Although ending it with mysterious blonde boy seemed even better.

Roger wondered how he could get curly boy's attention next. If he had his drums, he would say “hey curly, this one's for you” and then play the most amazing drum solo in existence, and then he and the mysterious boy would meet, and the stranger would be ready for Roger to ravage him. But for now, he was good just with knowing curly's name. So he had an idea (Roger was always having ideas, some people thought it was annoying, that it was impossible to keep up with him, that he was exhausting – Roger just felt it was part of his charm) and he put it into action. The night could still be a success. Curly boy was just some stranger that seemed cute but Roger had a feeling that he could be more. That he could be way more interesting than all the lousy dates he'd been having. Even though he knew nothing about him.

Still, he was drawn to him, somehow. Like magnets. Maybe he was just projecting, maybe he was putting his hopes of love for the night on this man... But well, he'd never had problem with taking risks, or doing things others may consider crazy, or nonsensical. Even if he knew nothing about him, he would take a chance on this beautiful stranger.

His idea was simple: he took a pen he always had with him in case someone asked for an autograph (which hadn't happened yet, but it would, and then he would be prepared), just writing his own name on a napkin (Rachel looked at him as if he was crazy, yeah, I know your name's Roger you idiot) and held it up for curly boy to see. Curly boy nodded and flashed Roger the cutest smile ever, and then Roger pointed at him, as if saying, “what's your name?”

Brian's date had gone to the toilet, so he had no problem to write his name on a napkin back for blon- for Roger. He wrote “Brian” in the clearest handwriting he could muster, giddy as a teenage boy. No one had shown such an interest for him in a very long time, much less someone as devastatingly gorgeous as Roger. He would never think that someone like that would ever look twice at him.

But Roger did more than that. He was smitten, was past the weird looks and calls to attention from his date and just much more invested on his flirting with this lanky looking stranger with such beautiful eyes. So he wrote a nice little message on the other side of the napkin, hoping to make his intentions clear. “You're beautiful”. Brian read and blushed in a most adorable way. His date walked out on him and he didn't even care. He just took his own napkin and wrote back “not as beautiful as you”.

Roger excused himself, left some money on for Rachel to pay the dinner and confidently walked to Brian's table, with a cigarette on his mouth.

“Hi, Brian. How would you like to be my date for the night?”

Brian smiled. Maybe blind dates weren't so bad after all.

 


	13. Chapter 13

 One of the secrets of Queen’s success was the fact that all four of them wrote songs. Each one of them have a different particular style, each one of them gave something special to the band, which meant that they were always surprising the audiences, never repeating themselves. It separated them from the rest, made them greater.

 Brian had written a lot of their biggest hits, but also wrote a ton of very depressing music. “I wonder why I still live on”, “no star can light our way in this cloud of dark and fear”. The guy had a bit of a tendency towards sadness, more than any of the others. That was why it was so surprising, hearing his new song.

 My love is a hurricane, it said, will turn you’ll life upside down and you’ll be grateful for it. More energy than a million battery, hotter than the sun. You don’t know it yet, but you’re my only one. It was catchy, it was fun, while still very much rock and roll. It was a very good song, and everyone kept asking him who or what had been his inspiration.

 “I was just feeling cheerful, that’s all.”

Nobody believed that. Much less Freddie, who knew his guitarist friend intimately. There was somebody who had inspired that song, and he had a suspicion of who that was. He decided not to meddle, but only this once. This couldn’t go on forever. Because Brian should really be telling this person, as his feelings were obviously returned.

 The next song that Roger brought into the table was a clear indicator of this.

 “This is a song I wrote about an amazing girl I met.”

 Roger’s song was about a musician who was strong, passionate, impossibly clever and more fun than people gave her credit for. The others kept joking and teasing him about how they’d like to meet this girl, teasing about how it seemed that someone had tamed the wild horse that was Roger. Freddie knew better.

 “This song is about Brian, isn’t it?”

 Roger choked on his beer a bit.

 “What do you mean, Fred? It’s about a girl I met, I told you. I’ll introduce you some time, ok?”

 “I’m sure you will find somebody to say it was her, but the song will still be about Brian. Face facts, Roger.”

 “You’re wrong. I’m not in love with Brian, we’re just mates. There’s a girl, I tell you.”

 “Roger you wrote this thinking about Brian. But I don’t know what the issue is, he’s in love with you too.”

 “You think?”

 “Hurricane is about you. You must have got that.”

 “Really? You think it’s about me? I mean, I am hotter than the sun, but…”

That song also said that he was his only one. Roger felt a stupid giggle caught in his throat, and something fluttering in his stomach. He felt like a stupid valentine’s day card.

 “Roger, it’s obviously you. You can’t believe that he was just having a happy day.”

 “...What should I do about it? I mean, he’s my friend… And I’m not totally sure…”

 “It’s not like you to be this insecure. Go for it, darling.”

 Bur Roger didn’t go for it, and neither did Brian. They danced around each other, stared with stars in their eyes and yet didn’t make a move. Roger went home with other people, Brian got depressed. But the feelings were there, and their infatuation was becoming more and more obvious. The songs were becoming too clear.

Brian wrote about golden hair.

 Roger wrote about long legs.

 It was getting ridiculous.

 And still nothing was done until that one concert, where Brian sung “Hurricane” live, where everyone could see just how in love they were, with Roger looking longingly from his drum set, with Brian looking back at the drummer with any excuse. The fans knew that they were in love, the band knew too and everyone was just waiting for those two oblivious idiots to realise too.

 When they were saying goodbye to the crowd, with big smiles on their faces, Roger was next to Brian and had his arm around the guitarist chest (making his cheeks even hotter) and somebody on the audience, watching how close they were started chanting, “KISS, KISS, KISS!”

 Suddenly, a thousand voices were chanting for them to kiss, and they looked at each other, blue into hazel, and decided there was a question in Brian’s eyes… Roger nodded and took him for the best kiss ever. One made of all the ones that had build up on the last months, one kiss to compensate for all the ones they’d missed before. He took Brian and left him breathless.

 The next cover of a single (of another of those super mushy songs Brian and Roger wrote each other) was just them, looking like the sailor and the nurse from the was, lost in each other, finally putting into practice that they could only express through songs before.

 That they were each other’s inspiration, they were each other’s song.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you liked!
> 
> You know you want to comment!


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